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2015-11-10November edition of Ombudsman Newsletter
The Office of the Ethiopian Institution of the Ombudsman (EOI) launched the November issue of its regular newsletter, which can now be accessed here.
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2015-11-09
Croatian People’s Ombudswoman visits Austrian Ombudsman Board
Ombudswoman Lora Vidović followed an invitation from the Austrian Ombudsman Board and came to Vienna for a two-day visit to exchange experiences and expertise on the ex-post as well as preventive work of the two offices.
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2015-11-05
Ombudsman launches investigation into handling of workers compensation claims
The Victorian Ombudsman has commenced an ‘own motion’ investigation into the management of workers compensation claims in Victoria.
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2015-11-04
Outreach and awareness
Ensuring that all of the community are aware of, and can access, services should be an essential objective of the office.
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2015-11-04
Government agencies
Ombudsmen engage with agencies to improve public administration in various ways, not just through resolving and investigating complaints.
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2015-11-04
Journalists
To ensure a consistent and professional approach, it is important that the office speaks with one official public voice.
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2015-11-04
Managing parties to a complaint
The independence of the Ombudsman’s role is not just about independence from the executive government, it is also about being independent from all parties to a dispute.
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2015-11-04
Conducting investigations
Approaches to investigating complaints vary according to a number of factors, including the jurisdiction of the Ombudsman’s office, the agencies and other parties involved, the complexity of the matter, and the intended outcome.
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2015-11-04
Receiving and assessing complaints
How complaints are received and assessed can vary depending on a number of factors, including the jurisdiction of the Ombudsman, the agencies and other parties involved, the actions that the complainant has already taken, and the complainant’s desired intended outcome.
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2015-11-04
Challenges to jurisdiction
Ombudsman offices can face particular challenges when the executive government seeks to change the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction in a way that might limit the office’s ability to function effectively, or impact its independence.
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2015-11-04
Records management
Proper maintenance of records is an important part of a well-functioning organisation. It is particularly important that Ombudsman offices have good record management practices because it is a key area where Ombudsmen often identify poor practice in agencies in their jurisdiction. In addition, Ombudsman offices often deal with sensitive and, sometimes, highly confidential or secret information.
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2015-11-04
New functions and a growing office
Communities are demanding a greater level of transparency and accountability from government as well as those delivering services that were once the responsibility of the public sector. In looking for additional accountability mechanisms, governments often first look to existing mechanisms, such as Ombudsmen, that are trusted, effective and where the additional oversight functions are comparatively inexpensive to implement.
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2015-11-04
Measuring and monitoring performance
As with any other public or private sector organisation, it is important that offices monitor, measure and report on their performance. This will provide the Ombudsman and senior staff with confidence in the work of the office. It will also allow the office to demonstrate to the community that it is making appropriate and efficient use of the funding and resources with which it is provided. In some jurisdictions, this information can also be of assistance to the Parliamentary Committees tasked with overseeing the work of the Ombudsman. Offices can use this information to support applications for additional funding and resources, particularly if there is a clear increase in a particular area of the office’s work. And finally, this information will be useful to demonstrate the office’s importance to the community.
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2015-11-04
Strategic and business planning
Strategic and business planning is an important part of an office’s corporate governance framework. Its purpose is to continuously improve the office’s outward-facing and inward-facing services by establishing a set of clearly defined expectations and outcomes.
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2015-11-04
How to build and maintain independence
Possibly the most important element to the success of an Ombudsman is the office’s independence. It must not be, or be seen to be, answerable to the government of the day or to the agencies within the office’s jurisdiction. At the same time, the office must also not be or be seen to be a community advocate. The Ombudsman must clearly be acting in the public interest at all times.
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2015-11-04
Guiding principles
The Ombudsman is a core institution of modern government with a role to promote and protect human rights, contribute to the maintenance of the rule of law and as a pathway to accessible, timely and effective administrative justice. As the Ombudsman has a significant role to keep the executive government to account, the Ombudsman and the Ombudsman’s office must act, and be seen to act, with a high degree of integrity and accountability.
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2015-11-03Western Cape Police Ombudsman
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2015-11-03
Procuración Penitenciaria de la Nación Argentina
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2015-10-23
Ombudsman reveals wide range of public service failures across NHS in England and UK government departments
Too many unresolved complaints are being taken to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman which could have been resolved by public services locally, meaning that people are left waiting longer for answers and that much needed service improvements are delayed.
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2015-10-22
Public Protector to ask Government for urgent intervention in Mamelodi Hospital
Public Protector Adv. Thuli Madonsela met with the management of Mamelodi Regional Hospital and conducted an inspection in loco following media reports about the appalling state of patient care at the hospital.